The cat leaves it to the very last minute because he didn’t want to jump from the second floor but right behind him was an enormous amount of heat and flames that were far too close. They singed his backside. At one stage he turns to go back in but quickly changes his mind to face a jump that frightens him. He simply does not want to try it but makes the wise and only decision to go for it. Below, a group of people wait to catch him. One of them breaks his fall and they capture him before he darts off. I simply couldn’t watch it all but he survived and is not badly hurt. He will live to fight another day but he lost one of his nine lives as they say. It happened in Harlem, New York City. We don’t know what what happened to the tenant or owner of the apartment. We have to presume that he or she got out. However, I’m going to be unpopular by saying that I don’t like to see domestic cats left behind in burning buildings. The story about this fire is unusual however (see below).
Animal control said that the ginger tabby was okay but he had inhaled some smoke and had been singed. Comment: I read reports that when cats escape fires like this one they suffer from damage to their heart as do, incidentally, firefighters over their careers. The heat damages the circulatory system. It’s a great shame therefore that this ginger tabby may have a shortened life as a result. The authorities don’t know who owns the cat but they are trying to find out.
The fire occurred on Saturday. The video was captured by Aaron Ganaway. Police were called on a report that a man was violating a restraining order in an apartment building on fifth Avenue. The man was barricaded inside the said apartment but he didn’t live there. Apparently his name is Willie Manning, 61, and he allegedly set the fire. Police found him passed out i.e. unconscious. We are told that the police were able to enter the apartment. Mr Manning is the apartment resident’s ex-boyfriend. He has 30 arrests on his record according to the New York Post. He was treated at hospital.
Mr Manning has been charged with burglary, arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal contempt it is now reported in The Times newspaper today Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Seven other people including two police officers were injured by the blaze.
